Connecting people

Your voice counts.

Help us to help people live well in their communities.

Help us to be relevant for today and ready for tomorrow by getting involved in our connecting people programme.

If you are passionate about health services in your local area then use your voice and lived experience to help us improve health and care services in your community. By getting involved you can help make a difference for yourself, your friends, family and people who live in your neighbourhood.

‘Connecting people’ is about giving you a voice. It can also be about engaging your family friends and your community, and supporting them to get more involved too.

By getting involved you and your contacts can:

• Support local services and contribute to the future of the NHS
• Learn more about how an NHS organisation works
• Learn new skills and take part in training
• Enhance your family and friend’s lives by giving them a say in how health is supported in your community
• Gather information from your community members to help make a difference

Your contribution can be in any way which interests you, and you can decide how much involvement you want. Examples of ways you can contribute include:

• Personally, taking part in surveys, engagement and consultations
• Helping to organise and participate in events
• Getting involved in projects
• Distributing leaflets and information in your local gyms, community centres, churches, mosques etc.
• Gathering  insight, information and feedback from your friends, family and the local community

Remember, you choose what you do, how you do it and how much you want to be involved.

Getting involved in the connecting people programme is open to anyone who lives or works in Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees or Wakefield. It is important that we recognise the value of our staff voice too. So is also open to Trust and NHS staff who want to get involved and act as champions for their services and local areas.

We are keen to have a diverse set of people from as many backgrounds as possible, including carers, people from BAME communities, anyone with a disability, and people who identify as LGBT+.​​​​​​​

If you would like to find out more about our connecting people programme or to register an interest in getting involved please email volunteer@swyt.nhs.uk or call 01924 316426 or 07721 649311.

Full training and support will be provided to all participants.

Please see a link to our leaflet here Connecting People Leaflet